Harrow, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Harrow is a town in the Wimmera
region of western Victoria
, Australia
. The town is located in the Shire of West Wimmera Local Government Area, 391 kilometres north west of the state capital Melbourne
, overlooking the Glenelg River
valley. At the 2006 census
, Harrow and the surrounding area had a population of 96.
The first European explorer
of the area was Thomas Mitchell and a monument marks the spot where he crossed the Glenelg River. A town originally known as Upper Glenelg was established in the 1840s and is claimed to be the oldest inland town in Victoria. The Post Office opened on 1 March 1849 as Upper Glenelg (Harrow from 1854).
At its peak, the town included a range of shops and services including two hotels. Harrow is the burial place of Johnny Mullagh
, member of the Australian Aboriginal cricket team, the first Australian cricket team to tour England
. He also represented the Victorian
cricket team in first-class cricket
The Marsh clan is one of the oldest existing families from this region. Les and James Marsh were the first settlers in the 1830s and there homestead is still viewable to this day.
In recent years, there has been a drift away from Harrow to larger towns in the region. In an effort to counteract this, Harrow has pioneered several popular events such as the regular "Beaut Blokes" events. The event was established to offset a perceived gender imbalance by introducing women from cities such as Melbourne
and Geelong to single men from the district. The concept has now been picked up by other rural communities throughout Australia. A sound and light
show is held weekly, retelling the history of Harrow in a humorous and interactive manner.
The town in conjunction with neighbouring township Balmoral
has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Horsham & District Football League
.
Golfers play at the course of the Harrow Golf Club on Nhill-Harrow Road.
Wimmera
The Wimmera is a region in the west of the Australian state of Victoria.It covers the dryland farming area south of the range of Mallee scrub, east of the South Australia border and north of the Great Dividing Range...
region of western Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is located in the Shire of West Wimmera Local Government Area, 391 kilometres north west of the state capital Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, overlooking the Glenelg River
Glenelg River (Victoria)
The Glenelg River is a river in southwestern Victoria and southeastern South Australia in Australia. The river starts in the Grampian Ranges and runs for over 350 kilometres, making it the longest river in south-west Victoria. A short stretch of the lower end winds through South Australia before...
valley. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Harrow and the surrounding area had a population of 96.
The first European explorer
European exploration of Australia
The European exploration of Australia encompasses several waves of seafarers and land explorers. Although Australia is often loosely said to have been discovered by Royal Navy Lieutenant James Cook in 1770, he was merely one of a number of European explorers to have sighted and landed on the...
of the area was Thomas Mitchell and a monument marks the spot where he crossed the Glenelg River. A town originally known as Upper Glenelg was established in the 1840s and is claimed to be the oldest inland town in Victoria. The Post Office opened on 1 March 1849 as Upper Glenelg (Harrow from 1854).
At its peak, the town included a range of shops and services including two hotels. Harrow is the burial place of Johnny Mullagh
Johnny Mullagh
Johnny Mullagh , was part of the famous 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England. He was a skilful all-rounder, being a right arm bowler and right-handed batsman....
, member of the Australian Aboriginal cricket team, the first Australian cricket team to tour England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He also represented the Victorian
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
cricket team in first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
The Marsh clan is one of the oldest existing families from this region. Les and James Marsh were the first settlers in the 1830s and there homestead is still viewable to this day.
In recent years, there has been a drift away from Harrow to larger towns in the region. In an effort to counteract this, Harrow has pioneered several popular events such as the regular "Beaut Blokes" events. The event was established to offset a perceived gender imbalance by introducing women from cities such as Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Geelong to single men from the district. The concept has now been picked up by other rural communities throughout Australia. A sound and light
Son et lumière (show)
Son et lumière , or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance....
show is held weekly, retelling the history of Harrow in a humorous and interactive manner.
The town in conjunction with neighbouring township Balmoral
Balmoral, Victoria
Balmoral is a township in the Shire of Southern Grampians in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Balmoral and the surrounding area had a population of 542....
has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Horsham & District Football League
Horsham & District Football League
The Horsham & District Football League is an amateur Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.-History:...
.
Golfers play at the course of the Harrow Golf Club on Nhill-Harrow Road.
External links
- Community website
- Beaut Blokes - Official website
- Shire of West Wimmera Council - Official website